She Was Young
by The Red Lily
Summary: After an explosion which severely burned her body, a young woman is captured by the Templars without knowing why. Dragged into a war she didn't even know existed, she must now learn to live without fears.Takes place during Revelations. Re-uploaded and updated!
1. The Impact

The flash of light was blinding and the heat searing. The world seemed to die out in that instant as all that filled her ears was a high-pitched ringing, loud enough to make any men deaf. She could feel her toes and fingertips burning, could hear her hair sizzle as it singed. Through the toxic fumes, she could even smell her flesh and hair burning. She wanted to scream but no sound escaped her scorched throat. She blinked her eyes but her vision was still a blank void. She felt her limbs start to shake uncontrollably, sending new waves of pain throughout her body. Though she couldn't see, she felt the world spinning around her and felt her head crash against the cold hard ground. The ringing got worst and if she had the strength, she would've tore her hair out and begged for it to stop. She tried rolling on her side but was restrained by strong grips on her arms and legs. She wanted to shake them off but soon the agony overwhelmed her and she felt her consciousness slip through the tendrils of her mind.

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><p>She swam in the vast oblivion that was her mind, wandering, lost and confused. She was detached from her body and yet had never been more in tune with it. Everything faded away, her pains, her hunger, her fears. Everything melted away as a cool wave of understanding and acceptance washed over her. Was this purgatory? Or was it heaven? She couldn't tell and she didn't care. Memories of her childhood sporadically flashed in front of her eyes just to vanish moments later, leaving no trace behind. She could relive her memories, one last time before they vanished forever. She could taste the dates from her mother's garden, could feel the sea splashing against her face and feel the sand beneath her feet. One last time… One last time she could feel her mother's embrace. If she had known what was happening to her, she probably would've been scared but timeless time went by, the void slowly consumed her past and left nothing behind.<p>

* * *

><p>She sat in the white abyss. It had been a while since she had seen the last of her memories. Like all the others, it had faded away slowly, had evaporated into oblivion. She wondered if she would also turn senseless and leave behind only a husk, an empty shell wearing human skin. The thought didn't amuse or scare her, it simply was. She had forgotten her past and along the way, it seemed, forgot how to feel.<p>

How long does it take for one to lose his mind once he lost everything else?

It didn't take long before a great darkness seemed to grow on the horizon of her vast nothingness. But something was off with the black clouds hovering towards her, surrounding her mind and trapping her in a corner. They weren't death.

* * *

><p>Slowly, a creeping feeling invaded her mind. Things she thought forgotten came back, slow at first, but gaining speed at an alarming rate. It began with her left leg. It was a strange sensation. It wasn't painful at first. But as things progressed, soon her whole body started tingling, as if it was starting to wake up from a decade of coma. Fear gripped her stomach and jolted her mind awake and out of its abyss. She felt pain for the first time in what seemed like centuries. She was now aware of every single nerve in her body, from the burning feeling in her limb's tips to her aching stomach. It felt as though it was the first time she had feared of felt pain and never did she think she would ever feel them at such intensities.<p>

* * *

><p>It all happened in a flash. It splashed over her, freezing her instantly. She gasped; her first breath in over an eternity. The pain increased, as if spurred by the freezing water that dribbled slowly and agonizingly down her trembling frame. She tried to move but found she was constricted by strong iron shackles around her ankles and wrists. She could barely make out the noises that now surrounded her. Such commotion filled the air, a cacophony of angry voices pilling up and echoing painfully in her throbbing head. It was so hard to concentrate and decipher what they were screaming about. It sounded more like angry roars and noises than human voices articulating thoughts into words. She could feel the shackles digging in her wrists as she hung inertly from them. Another wave of cold water crashed down upon her body like waves on rocks in the sea. She didn't have the strength to even whimper at the assault.<p>

"Wench! Tell us how you got in!" Shouted a dominant voice.

Panic flooded her veins like poison. She struggled weakly against her restraints even though she knew it was futile. Her wobbly feet slipped on the wet stone beneath them and her full weight yanked at her wrists. She felt as though her shackles had turned white hot, a burning sensation erupting from her wrists. She felt a blood ooze lazily down her stretched up arms. Compared to the ice water they had thrown at her, the crimson liquid was comfortably warm.

"Answer me!" The men bellowed.

She tried speaking; she wanted to say something, anything. But nothing came out of her trembling lips. The men exhaled loudly before sending his palm flying across her pallid cheek. The bitter taste of blood slowly seeped in her mouth from her cracked lips. She felt her stomach contract as tears stung her eyes. She wanted everything to stop, she wanted to disappear.

"I will ask again: How did you get in?!" he thundered.

Her lips were barely obeying her, irregularly opening and closing without making any sound. Even if she could've mustered up the strength to form a coherent sentence or even a couple of words, she had no idea what to say. The men let out another angered sigh before striking her again, this time aiming at her left ear. The ringing drowned out all other sounds the group of men were making. She vaguely made out the silhouettes of her assailants leaving the grey coloured room before closing her eyes in hopes of falling asleep and waking up somewhere else or simply not waking up at all.


	2. Waiting

How long had she been out? She hadn't the slightest clue. Her hearing was almost back to normal; the ringing was finally fading away. She could make out all the sounds that surrounded her, from the water dripping from the ceiling into a small puddle in the left corner of her cell to the scattering noise of the rats' claws against the stone floor. They had given her two meals so far but she had only taken a few bites from the moldy bread thrown at her feet. She couldn't yet stand but she doubted her chains would allow her to get very far. Though her vision was still blurry, she could only make out the general shapes and colours of objects. Most of time, she would rather keep them close out of fear of what'd she'd be able to see one day. And they burned, like two embers, two sweltering suns. Closing them made the pain shy away, if only a little.

She fought against her shackles vainly for the majority of her time, having nothing else to do. She knew the skin was raw around her wrist but her cell was so cold she barely felt it anymore. A man, the same from before, had come up and asked her the same question over and over. She wished she could answer it, she really did, but her voice refused to cooperate. Whenever he'd enter her cell, she'd cower. She knew there was no place she could hide and it would be in vain but she couldn't help herself; her fear controlled her whenever _he_ arrived. She could always make out his tall and broad shadow that slowly engulfed her trembling frame.

_How did you get in?_ Always that same question.

Panic gripped her throat and her arms shook, rattling lightly her chains. Had she known the answer or had she even been able to pronounce a single word, her resolve would've died out long ago and she would've told whatever they wanted to hear; anything to be left alone. But there was only a void in her mind. She couldn't remember anything.

* * *

><p>One day, they had come in, six of them, and blindfolded her. All she could feel was her feet dragging painfully against the rough stone floor as they carried her away. She didn't know how long they travelled or where they were going. She knew sometimes she's slip into unconsciousness only to wake after a violent yank on her shoulder or after the carriage went through some rough terrain. After some time, she had been thrown on the floor, her head crashing painfully against the stones. When they took the blindfold off, she was in a smaller, darker chamber. The air wasn't as foul and this time they didn't tie her wrist shackle to the ceiling. She was free to crawl around her dingy cell, not that she really cared. She stayed most of the time in the driest corner, feet tucked under her body and arms wrapped around her knees for comfort. Sometimes she swore she could hear voices coming from the other side of the oppressing grey stone wall, joyous laughter and exclamations coming from a world so distant from her own. She thought she was slowly losing her mind… and somehow the thought comforted her. If she could lose herself in the folds of her consciousness, maybe she could find peace again. She found herself sometimes gently caressing the wall, hoping she could merge with it and disappear once and for all.<p>

She tried to talk every now and then but every time she had the same result; her throat burned without a single sound escaping her lips.

Her assailant's visits slowly decreased, leaving her more time alone in her cell. She liked it.

* * *

><p>She could feel something brewing in the air; the tension was palpable in the air. The guards didn't slouch around anymore; they jogged to-and-fro past her cell, barking orders at each other. They all seemed on edge; no longer did she hear the distant victory cries when they played cards or their drunken brawls when they came back from the taverns.<p>

War was on the horizon it seemed.

She occasionally catch a guard say the dreaded word, "assassin". They stopped interrogating her altogether after a while. Whoever this assassin was, he was hunting them without mercy.

* * *

><p>It had started while she was still sleeping. It was a loud explosion which had woken her. She could hear screams and the cold sound of metal against metal from afar. The smell of burning wood reached her nose soon after. Though her eyesight was still impaired, she could see the thick black smoke seep in her cell. The air burned her throat like a hundred suns and stung at her eyes like a thousand bees. And in that moment, as the black smoke was building up in her room and lungs, she felt for the first time since her capture the urge to live. She didn't want to burn to death, she wanted to live. She crawled her way to the imposing metal door from which she had seen her belligerents walk in and out so many times before. She peered through the metal bars but could only hear the faraway sound of hard boots against the floor. She gathered all the energy she had left and started banging her shackles against the bars with all her might, trying to make as much noise as she possibly could. No one noticed at first but she redoubled her efforts, tears streaming down her face. Her breathing was reduced to laborious wheezing and coughing but she couldn't stop, not now…<p>

* * *

><p>"Master, the building is collapsing, we have to leave now!"<p>

The hooded man nodded once while casting his gaze once more around the blood stained room. The raid had gone according to plan and the collateral damage had been kept at a strict minimum, just the way he liked it. Those bastard Templars had it coming their way. They had relentlessly attacked his dens in the past few weeks, injuring and killing a lot more of his apprentices than he was willing to admit. The thought brought a bitter taste to his mouth but he waved it off quickly; they were taking their revenge and were making the Templars pay. He started walking towards the exit, helping a wounded brother manage his newly broken leg. As soon as he was almost halfway out of the crumpling building, he heard it. It was too loud and rhythmic to be anything else then a human being knocking two metallic objects against each other. He cursed under his breath as he realised that they hadn't checked the cells to see if any prisoners were still alive.

"Ahmet, take Salim. There is someone trapped in the cells and I need to go get him." Said the cloaked men as he handed the wounded soldier to another apprentice.

"But master, the building is a deathtrap!" contested Ahmet.

The man had vanished before the apprentice had finished his sentence. The heat was unbearable but the man pushed on forward with renewed vigour. Beads of sweat rolled down his face and for a moment he wondered if he was imagining the sound; how could anyone bear such heat? As if reminding him it were real, the noise rang forth again, but slowly fading away even though the cloaked man was getting closer to the source. The master assassin knew that he had to hurry if he didn't want the prisoner to suffocate on the rising smoke.

* * *

><p>She slid down the wall next to the door, having lost all hopes of being saved. Her head starting spinning and it was only a matter of minutes before she passed out because of a lack of oxygen. Her eyelids became heavy and the only comfort she had was that her cell was warming up and she wouldn't die in a cold place.<p>

* * *

><p>He kicked in the door and entered the desolated cubicle, eyes searching for a survivor. The smoke was making it hard to see. He squinted his eyes and only then was he able to make out the white silhouette crumpled up in the corner of the cell. He took her into his arms immediately, not bothering to check if she was alive or dead. Shielding his face with his free arm, he ran past the burning wooden pillars, trying his best to avoid pieces of the falling burning roof. He pressed her against his chest, protecting her as best he could from the falling debris. With one last sprint, he cleared the door. The frame come tumbling down as soon as he passed. Ezio let out a sigh of relief. One second too long inside and they would've both perished in flames.<p> 


	3. Abundance and Fear

For a moment, she thought she had gone through purgatory, hell and she finally reached heaven. For once, she was neither burning nor freezing; everything felt right. That is until she tried stretching her body. Forgotten pains and aches flared up and protested at her every move. She tentatively opened one eye, afraid it had been an illusion and that she was still in her cell. Her eye was greeted by rays of warm light diffused by a lantern to her left. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as her body relaxed and she let her head sink her soft pillow. Though her body was still in rough shape, the simple fact of having a comfortable bed under her brought her a sense of appeasement she thought she'd never feel again. After a moment of respite, her curiosity overtook her. She ignored her body's many objections and sat up. The bed was level with the floor and a light linen sheet covered her legs. A small metal lantern laid not too far away the bed, projecting symmetric shadows upon the wall's many rich tapestries. The floor was strewn with cushions and more rugs which appeared only as colorful stains in the girl's damaged eyes. She looked down and noticed that she had been changed into a simple white nightgown and that fresh bandages were now resting on her wrists and hands. Her gaze grew somber and her arms plopped down on her laps inertly. What if she never healed? What if she stayed... She turned her gaze away from her wounded hands, not wanting to linger on painful thoughts.

Her eyes soon fell upon a small wooden platter on which sat a fresh loaf of bread and a tea pot. She crawled her way towards it and eagerly grabbed the warm bread. She was about to dig her teeth in it when she was hit by memories of her meals in the cell. She felt a tug at her stomach and knew she wouldn't be able to keep it down had she taken a bite of it. She placed it back on the platter, a small pained expression resting on her lips. It would take more than a good night's sleep for her memories to stop haunting her in her waking steps. She shuddered and drank some of the tea, trying to get rid of the lasting cold that has settled in her spine while she was still in the dreaded chamber. The drink soothed her throat and for once she didn't feel like it was made of burning sand. She tried focusing on the patterns on the rugs she was sitting on, but her eyes still couldn't focus and all she could decipher was a blend of oddly shaped orange specks in a sea of red. She shook her head and went back to her bed where she sat for a while, starring aimlessly around at the room, wondering about the fire and her rescuer. She wrapped the delicate linen around her shoulders gently laid down once again on the bed. Even though she felt like she had slept for a century, her body was still demanding more of the curative slumber.

* * *

><p>When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was that another cover had been placed on her. She looked around and noted that the tray was gone and the lantern had been dimed. She tried to get up but her knees buckled underneath her. She fell gauchely on a nearby pillow big enough to cushion her drop. She cursed softly before wrapping her emaciated arms around her sore body. She crawled towards the wall and, once at its base, used it for support. Standing on her two feet was painful; it felt as if she was walking on hot coal. The weight of her body seemed almost too much for her feet to bear and they felt as though they would burst at any second. Her legs weren't better either; her atrophied muscles ached after every movement she made. She could barely make a few steps without having to pause and let her legs rest. She could feel the tears brimming in her eyes, blurring furthermore her vision. She sat down on a hassock and rested for a while, trying her best to clear her mind. Her consciousness danced from reveries to reality, shifting between nightmares and dreams, memories and thoughts about her present situation, until something that smelt good lured her into reality for good. It was something new to her, something extraordinary.<p>

She inhaled another time, filling her nose to the brim with a delicious aroma. Without much thought, she got on her wobbly legs and made for the wooden door, stumbling a few times as she did. She pushed it open and looked at the new room that lay before her eyes. Although everything was blurred and indistinct, she was sure no one was there. She walked with eyes almost completely closed, following her nose and leaning on everything, from chairs to tables, to get closer to the enchanting perfume. After a few long minutes of stumbling around in what she guessed to be the main hall of the building, she finally entered the room from which the smell emanated. On a table next to a ceramic stove sat a large bowl containing a blur of rich colours. She cautiously dipped her finger into the dish, staining her bandages, before bringing them to her mouth. She didn't remember tasting something as rich and flavoursome. Without a second thought, she dug her hand into the food and gulped down large portion of the food down her throat and to her grumbling stomach. The food seemed to weigh painfully on her stomach and she feared it would rip open. But she was lost in a trance and couldn't stop eating. Her stained bandages were a flash as she stuffed more food inside her mouth. The more she ate, the hungrier she became and the more she felt the urge to eat. She had difficulty breathing normally and she didn't bother chewing anymore. A dark veil dropped over her eyes and she heard a dull thud as her head hit the floor.

* * *

><p>Ezio walked into his hideout, not knowing if all his apprentices and the other assassins had returned. After a quick look in the library and the office, he knew for sure that he was the first one home.<p>

"Still the fastest." he chuckled.

He walked towards the room where he had left the girl from the Templar den. He was still puzzled as to who she was. He had asked all the master assassins across the land but none had reported a missing female agent and neither the thieves nor the Romanies had reported someone absent in their ranks. He pushed the door open and cast a look at the room. He frowned as he noticed the girl was missing. He jogged towards the sitting room, hoping she would be there. The girl hadn't left the den, that he was absolutely sure. It was only a matter of time before he found her. He turned around, vision transferring to that of an eagle's, and walked back to her door. From there he followed the golden outline of the girl's path. The trail wasn't hard to follow but the man was troubled by its shape as it wavered and swayed, showing that she was still very weak in her legs. He could see where she had fallen and the stools she had tripped over. The golden imprints eventually lead to the kitchen where he found the girl on the floor, passed out with grains of semoul on her hands and face. He kneeled down next to her and determined she was sleeping for the moment and wasn't sick or injured. A short sigh escaped his nose as he pressed his fingers against his forehead. He hadn't the slightest clue what he'd do with this girl. Usually when they encountered prisoners in the Templar base they'd set them free but she seemed far too damaged to take off any time soon. He cast the thought aside and decided to concentrate on the matter at hand: bringing her back to her room to rest. He picked her up in his arms and carried her effortlessly back to her bed, noticed just how gaunt her body was.

* * *

><p>Something cool pressed against her mouth, waking her in a startle. The wet cloth was withdrawn from her lips as the hooded man dipped it in a bowl of water. Dread poisoned the girl's blood as she heard the rag lap against the water. She feared her ordeal would start over and the man would splash the water against her face and question her, asking her questions she didn't know the meaning and much less their answer.<p>

"You passed out in the kitchen after eating almost half of the couscous. I don't know whether I should be impressed by it or worried about the fact that now we don't have enough food to feed all the apprentices." Said the man with a chuckle as he fiddled with the rag.

She sat up, fear in her eyes. She mentally berated herself, cursing her hunger. If only she had stayed in her room. Why didn't she stay in her room? How dare she eat food that wasn't hers? She could only start to imagine her punishment. She took in a few sharp breaths, her mind racing. She tried to speak but a strangled whimper was all that rolled off her tongue. She swallowed in a panic and tried again.

"Please… Sorry…" She managed to squeeze, voice only a cracked whisper.

Before he could say anything, the girl laid before him in an act of supreme submission.

"No pain… Please… No pain…" she croaked, her throat aching and burning like it had the night of the fire.

She would do anything in order to avoid getting hurt by others again. She didn't have any pride and she couldn't see why or how she could. The man laid a hand on her shoulder and helped her into a sitting position. He looked straight into her eyes. A white cloud seemed to obstruct her vision and though she was looking at him, Ezio felt she wasn't seeing him. A small shiver ran down his spine and he suddenly felt sorry for her. She was so damaged for a girl her age.

"I am not here to hurt you. No one will harm you as long as you are under my protection." He said, voice low and full of determination.

The room fell silent.

"I am Ezio Auditore da Firenze. What is your name?"

Her eyes fell to the ground as she raked her mind for an answer. But she only found a void echoing back at her. Her body seemed to withdraw itself, curling up slightly as she thought over and over about his question.

"What about your family? Do you know anyone here in Istanbul?" He continued, his voice tinted with barely audible concern.

She shook her head slightly but her body kept retracting itself. Her mind was racing, scrambling for an answer, more for her sake then to answer Ezio. There a loud knock at the wooden doors, interrupting her thoughts.

"Mentor, Yusuf requires your assistance in the library."

Ezio looked at the girl once more, mixed feelings welling up inside him. He could see the distress floating in her milky gaze. He sighed as grabbed the linen cover and gently brought it up to the girl's chin.

"Get some rest." He said in her direction before getting up and leaving, closing the door almost noiselessly behind him.

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><p>Hope you enjoyed it so far! Reviews are always welcomed!<p> 


	4. The Task

"What are you going to do about her?" Asked Yusuf from the comforts of his ochre cushion, shisha pipe in hand.

They had previously talked about the Templar's control of the city and the next raid they were planning. Everything was going according and the girl they rescued was the only hitch they had encountered so far. Both men had known they were going to finish their conversation with that subject. Ezio could tell that Yusuf had had this question in the back of his head for a while just by the way he had been fiddling with his pipe. He sighed and raked his fingers across his hair. White tendrils of smoke lazily escaped Yusuf's nostrils and the cooper pipe clanked against his teeth. Ezio spared a quick glance at the man before averting his eyes skywards.

"I'm still not sure." Ezio finally answered after looking around the room for an answer on the walls.

"You said she doesn't have a name or a family, correct?" without waiting for an answer, Yusuf pressed on "Maybe we could ask her to joi-"

"No Yusuf, she will not be a part of this war. She is too young and she has seen enough." Ezio's voice was deep and unyielding. "And besides, I doubt she could… physically speaking." He added somberly as he recalled her aimless gaze.

"I was just wondering" Yusuf said while shrugging, smoke escaping his mouth with every word.

Ezio rose from his seat and walked towards the nearest bookshelf. He absentmindedly read the titles as he ran his slim fingers over the smooth leather binding. He walked slowly, inspecting the order of the manuscripts, occasionally straightening the books which were askew. He could hear Yusuf fiddling around a platter of fruits behind him.

"You still have yet to answer my question, you know." He said, somewhat teasingly as he popped a couple of dried dates into his scarred mouth.

Ezio froze for a moment, a book in his hands. He calmly placed it back in its respective place before walking towards Yusuf with a steady pace.

"I think I know what we'll do. I'll have another apprentice watch over her and as soon as she gets better she will be able to leave."

"Ezio, they're apprentices not babysitters." Yusuf said in a somewhat stern voice as a warning frown slowly etched itself on his tanned face.

"What would you have me do? Throw her in the streets?" He retorted, his voice dark and irritated.

Yusuf raised his hand and hung his head to the side. Ezio sighed and though he agreed with Yusuf, he felt like he had no other choice. He didn't want this mess on his hand and yet he couldn't bring himself to simply cast the girl aside and leave her to her own devices. She was too young, too scared, too… handicapped. Though he dealt with death every day, he couldn't bring it about an innocent, the very people he swore to protect from the tyranny of others. The girl was his responsibility, his burden and he would see to it that he took care of her like he would any other mission he was assigned. Yusuf's voice forced Ezio out of his contemplation.

"But even if we do that… Where would she go when she'll be healed? She doesn't have a family and she young, you said so yourself." Yusuf continued, waving his pipe slightly triumphantly, as if proud to have found a flaw in his friend's answer.

"We'll cross that bridge when we'll get to it, in the meantime let's just worry about her health." Ezio said as he exited the room, closing the heavy oak door behind him.

* * *

><p>The sun was unbearably hot that day. It seemed to press down on the heads and shoulders of every passerby, forcing them to walk with bent backs and sluggish feet. On these kinds of days, the smartest apprentices would disappear in some forgotten corner of the hideout, taking a nap or playing cards in the cool underground tunnels. All over Constantinople plebeians were busy fanning themselves and hiding from the sun's unforgiving rays under the shades of the many trees. Ezio looked at the empty training grounds for a while, arms crossed over his chest. He belonged in the small portion of people for whom heat wasn't a great inconvenience. He could feel sweat roll down the side of his face but paid little attention to it. He walked with his usual smooth stride northwards, hands resting on his leather belt. He stopped at the roots of the northern wall, looking at a dangling foot a couple of feet higher. He sighed silently before looking at his surroundings once more. A gentle breeze rolled by, playing with the hem of his cape and hood. He turned his gaze once more upwards, thankful that his hood shielded his eyes from the glaring white sun.<p>

"Halimah, can you come down for a moment?" the master assassin called out to the hanging limb.

There was a rustling sound from above and the leg quickly disappeared over the ledge. Ezio chuckled lightly before calling out her name once more. After a short moment of silence, a head slowly crept over the edge of the platform, eyes small and still full of sleep. Her dark hair reminded Ezio of the locks of many Italian girls he had once courted. The memories brought a bitter sweet smile to his lips. That was one thing he definitely missed on his travels: Italians beauties with rich dark hair and rose red lips just asking to be gently kissed.

"Mentor!" exclaimed Halimah, eyes now wide open.

She made her way down the wall swiftly and stood before Ezio, avoiding eye contact as she did so. She bowed her head, fist against her chest, hoping she wasn't going to be reprimanded for taking a nap.

"Halimah, I have an important task for you."

"I am all ears, Mentor." She responded eagerly.

The female apprentice had proved her worth with her attitude and quick wits which in turn earned her a rather quick ascension in the ranks of the brotherhood.

"This 'mission' is very unusual but I hope you will excel at it nonetheless." He pressed on.

"Mentor, you honor me by giving me this mission. I will not fail." She said after another bow

Ezio nodded once before continuing. He was still unsure of the whole situation but he knew for a fact Halimah would most probably be the best candidate for the job. At least, she was the least likely to rebel against the idea of taking care of the wounded girl.

"Do you remember the raid a couple of days ago in the Imperial district?"

"I know of it but haven't actively participated in it."

"It's alright. My task for you doesn't concern the raid but more what we - well I - found in that den." Said Ezio as he delved deeper into the corridors of the hideout.

Halimah stared at him intently as they walked back towards the door of the hideout. Ezio could see a querying look shine in her eyes.

"In one of the cells there was a girl. I don't know how long she's been rotting in that chamber but I do know that she is terribly scared and hurt. I need you to watch over her, make sure she gets healthier. I fear she is too weak to be left on her own. I can't take full responsibility of my actions and tend for her as I lack the time. I trust you will."

Halimah simply nodded and followed him, still confused about what he was telling her. Soon after, they had arrived. Ezio had stopped in front of the small wooden door and mentioned to Halimah that the girl was on the other side. He was about to open the door, but Halimah stopped him.

"Wait. Mentor, are you sure about this? I don't know what to do…" she said, afraid she would let the Italian assassin down.

"I trust you Halimah." Was all he said before pushing the door open.

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><p>Thank you for all the reviews! They are all greatly appreciated! Feel free to leave some more! :)<p> 


	5. Inspecting the Damages

She was sitting with her back to the door. From where she was standing, Halimah could see rashes on the girl's arm. She turned around to give Ezio one last look, but he was already gone. She took a tentative step towards the girl, hands fidgeting behind her back. She had never taken care of someone who wasn't either herself or another member of the brotherhood. The girl turned slowly and laid her gaze on Halimah.

"Ezio?" She called out in a faint whisper full of anticipation.

The woman frowned. In normal circumstances she would've been insulted that someone mistook her for a man, but these weren't normal circumstances.

"No, I am not Ezio. My name is Halimah, I will take care of you." She said while getting closer.

The girl nodded and averted her gaze downwards. Halimah sat down next to her, arms resting motionlessly on her lap. She looked once more at the girl intently, trying to satisfy her curiosity. The Templars dens always had a few prisoners that the assassins freed once the raid was finished but it was the first time Halimah saw a captive this young. The girl, who was on the verge on becoming a woman, was too young to be a part of any organisation fighting the Templars. Although Halimah and the assassins strongly opposed it, everyone knew that a girl caught stealing or doing any kind of crime had her left arm cut off or was forced to spend a night at the guards' service but they were never held captive. A shiver ran down Halimah's spine as she remembered the day she was saved by Yusuf. The woman shook her head and concentrated once more on the girl who hadn't moved since she had laid eyes on the colorful floor. The rashes on her arms, small red dots scattered on her ashen skin, were a sign of malnutrition; she had seen other prisoners displaying similar markings. The bandages on her wrist had specks of red on them and had to be changed quickly if she didn't want infection to settle in. Finally, Halimah looked down at the hands, and her heart seemed to dip in her entrails longer than she thought humanly possible. She brought a hand to her mouth and swallowed, trying her best to hide her reaction. She quickly averted her gaze and eyed the girl's face, concentrating her attention to the girl's eyes. They were dark brown, a common color in this region. Her hair, which fell on either side of her undernourished face, was greasy and burned on the tips. After a deep sigh, Halimah shifted her position.

"I think we should start by giving you a bath. How does that sound?"

The girl looked at Halimah for a while before nodding. Halimah mirrored her gesture before exiting the room.

"I'll be back with some water and soap." She said as she passed through the open door.

LINE BREAK

Halimah poured the lukewarm water into a bassinet, steam obstructing her vision for a short moment. She laid the brightly colored towel next to the basin and walked over to the girl. She bent down and gently touched her forearm. She jerked her arm away by reflex.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, taking her arm away from the girl.

She simply nodded. The woman was surprised when the girl laid her small fingers on hers and said, always in that hauntingly soft voice:

"Bath?"

Halimah nodded once more and led her to the basin, letting the girl lean on her arm for support.

* * *

><p>The girl sat motionlessly in the tub as Halimah brushed her skin gently with a soap covered cloth. Halimah reached over to the carafe of water and poured it down on the girl's back, washing away the soap froth. The girl had flinched when Halimah first poured water over her head, gasping as the liquid rained down upon her weary head. She flinched when Halimah laid hands on her bare back but as time progressed, the girl got used to the gentle hands of her care-taker. Halimah ran her fingers through the wet hair and gazed at the strange pattern in which it fell on the girl's bony back.<p>

"We'll have to cut some of your hair away. The ends are too damaged to ever get back to normal." Halimah said as she motioned for the girl to stand up.

Naked, Halimah could truly contemplate the full extent of the damages caused by her imprisonment. Her whole body turned out to be covered in small rashes, some of them oozing while others were simply scabs. Her ribs were sticking out, giving the illusion that she almost had a pair of spines on her belly. Halimah quickly shook her head, cursing the Templars for doing this to the girl. She wrapped the body in the soft towel, an action which reminded her of a coroner wrapping a dead body in a shroud.

* * *

><p>The girl sat in front of Halimah, back turned to the woman once more. The care-taker held the heavy scissors in her right hand and combed the girl's hair with her free hand. They were a faded tone of brown and, without any luster to them, seemed like that of an old, abandoned ragdoll. The ivory-colored comb slid down the locks with ease, making a soft swishing sound as it did so. Halimah ran her fingers along the curls, making sure they were aligned before she started cutting them. The black scissors cut through the hair effortlessly and the hair fell silently on the floor. Halimah cut away the burnt tips with an efficiency that surprised her. The woman felt like she should say something, anything, to comfort the girl but found no words. What do you say to a lost child? What words can alleviate the confusion the girl was experiencing?<p>

"I am sorry for what happened to you." was all she managed to say but the words felt foreign in her mouth.

The girl shifted but otherwise made no other gesture. The silence grew heavy and Halimah noticed she had stopped cutting the hair without realising it. She resumed her task silently and wished she hadn't said those words.

* * *

><p>Halimah walked quickly through the hall with a package safely tucked under her arm. She started doubting her plans as soon as she entered the smaller hall that led to the girl's room. This caused her foot to falter and she momentarily lost balance.<p>

"Careful sister Halimah." Said an apprentice as he caught her mid fall.

She looked at Ahmet before quickly saying her thanks to the young recruit. He simply nodded and started walking in a direction opposite to her, his square shoulders held high. She continued on her way but was stopped by Ahmet seconds later when he called out her name.

"Is it true?" he said, a hint of interest in his deep voice

Halimah turned around to face him.

"Is what true?"

"That you are taking care of that Templar girl." he said as he slowly walked towards her, small gesticulations from his hands accentuating each one of his words.

"Who told you?" she said with curiosity while readjusting her parcel under her arm.

"Bah, this building is small," he said with a sweep of his large hand "What are going to do with her?"

"Wait until she gets better."

"And then?" he said as he leaned on the stone wall.

"And then our mentor will do what he thinks is right for the girl."

The answer seemed to please Ahmet as he let a small smile tug at the corners of his lips.

"It is strange that in a place that most consider evil a rose should bloom." He said as he inspected the ceiling.

Halimah was struck by those words but she simply nodded. She took a step towards him, intrigued by this apprentice. From the day she had first laid eyes on him, she had spontaneously categorized him as a simple man who had more muscle than brains and didn't value intellect. Him saying those words seemed unnatural.

"Luck be with you sister."

"And you as well brother."

He smiled faintly and walked away, hands folded across his chest.

* * *

><p>Halimah set down the object in front of the girl. She had carefully unwrapped the bundle with trembling hands, afraid of the girl's reaction to it. The girl seemed oblivious to the object and turned her gaze to the woman, a silent question resting on her face.<p>

"Look." Said Halimah as she motioned the item

The girl looked but didn't seem to comprehend. She reached out with a trembling hand but stopped midway before touching the mysterious article. Halimah gently guided the hand to the cool surface but still the girl wore a confused expression on her face.

"Haven't you ever seen a mirror?" said Halimah with a soft voice.


End file.
